Nicole Kidman transforms into Lucille Ball in first look at new film Being the Ricardos

Nicole Kidman has morphed into Hollywood icon Lucille Ball for her new historical drama movie, Being The Ricardos.

Following a bit of drama about the role (Will and Grace star Debra Messing really wanted the part), fans have been given their first look at the upcoming biopic set to air on Amazon Prime Video.

Written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, the film sees Kidman star alongside Javier Bardem as Ball’s husband Desi Arnaz.

The showbiz biopic dramatized an intense week in the superstar couple’s lives as they enter production on an episode of their hit sitcom, I Love Lucy, in 1952.

From the table read to the taping, viewers will get to see what happened during production while seeing how off-screen drama threatened to engulf the couple’s personal lives and business partnership.

In the teaser clip, Kidman’s Ball narrates while images of the couple at work play out on screen.

Fans were given their first look at Nicole Kidman playing Lucille Ball in the upcoming movie, Being The Ricardos (Picture: Amazon)

She is heard making a case for why she and her husband are one of Hollywood’s biggest powerhouses, stating: ‘I am the biggest asset in the portfolio of the Columbia Broadcasting System. I am the biggest asset in the portfolio of Philip Morris Tobacco, Westinghouse.

‘I get paid a fortune to do exactly what I love doing. I work side-by-side with my husband, who is genuinely impressed by me.’

The movie also stars J.K. Simmons, Nina Arianda, Tony Hale, Jake Lacy and Alia Shawkat.

Lucille Ball played Lucy Ricardo in the CBS comedy series I Love Lucy (Picture: CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)

Speaking about the casting choice, Sorkin told Entertainment Weekly: ‘That’s easy: When Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, J.K. Simmons, and Nina Arianda say they want to do a movie, your casting search is over.’

Explaining why viewers shouldn’t expect to just watch a retelling of I Love Lucy episodes, he continued: ‘First, just let me remind you that we’re not doing I Love Lucy.

‘Throughout the film we see shards of I Love Lucy as they’re rehearsing it, but mostly we see shards of I Love Lucy because we’re going into Lucy’s head during rehearsal, or during the table read, or while the writers are pitching something. We are able to see that she is a genius.’

The actress stars alongside Javier Bardem in the historical drama (Picture: Amazon)

He continued: ‘In her head she schemes out what it’s going to end up looking like, what’s going to work, what the audience response is going to be. Those are just quick shards of I Love Lucy. I wasn’t casting Lucy and Ricky, I was casting Lucy and Desi. And Vivian Vance and Bill Frawley. Also, Nicole and Javier are very funny. But the movie isn’t a comedy.’

The official synopsis reads: ‘Lucille Ball (Nicole Kidman) and Desi Arnaz (Javier Bardem) are threatened by shocking personal accusations, a political smear and cultural taboos in Academy Award-winning writer and director Aaron Sorkin’s behind-the-scenes drama Being the Ricardos.

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‘A revealing glimpse of the couple’s complex romantic and professional relationship, the film takes audiences into the writers’ room, onto the soundstage and behind closed doors with Ball and Arnaz during one critical production week of their groundbreaking sitcom I Love Lucy.’

Being The Ricardos is out in cinemas from December 10 before dropping on Prime Video on December 21.

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